New to Me Sun Tracker 24, A Question About Change Rooms

[DougsMessyGarage]

Well, after looking around for a rebuild project pontoon, I have pulled the trigger on a 1984 Sun Tracker 24 Party Barge. Considering the boat was in the 'Junkyard" I am pretty happy with its overall condition. I was originally planning on stripping it down to the bare tubes and cross members and rebuilding from there but I might get away without having to replace the decking. We will see.

I am comfortable with the mechanical, electrical, and carpentry aspects of the rebuild so this should be a fun and interesting project and a source of video content for my YouTube channel.

One thing I have not found in my drooling over online parts warehouse catalogs is an aftermarket changeroom. I have female family members who would greatly appreciate a potty and I plan on using the boat for a dive boat so was thinking a fold down changeroom would be a great addition. Problem is, so far, I have not found anyone who makes an aftermarket fold down change room. Is this not a thing for older boats or am I just not looking in the right places?

Thanks

Doug

 

[HotTommy]

You might try searching for a camping shower tent. .... I've had two older pontoon boats with popup rooms. In both cases there was dedicated floor space for that purpose. While they both operated differently, the common theme was that the vertical corner pieces connected in pairs (e.g, two on the left and two on the right) and were hinged around waist level to fold down and rest parallel to the deck until needed. Those pairs popped up with the canvas attached to them to create the private space. One of the canvas walls had a zipper to allow access. If you can see a few on other boats, it shouldn't be too hard to design something that would work. .... BTW, my lady guests pee in the lake.

 

[DougsMessyGarage]

You might try searching for a camping shower tent. .... I've had two older pontoon boats with popup rooms. In both cases there was dedicated floor space for that purpose. While they both operated differently, the common theme was that the vertical corner pieces connected in pairs (e.g, two on the left and two on the right) and were hinged around waist level to fold down and rest parallel to the deck until needed. Those pairs popped up with the canvas attached to them to create the private space. One of the canvas walls had a zipper to allow access. If you can see a few on other boats, it shouldn't be too hard to design something that would work. .... BTW, my lady guests pee in the lake.

I was thinking of building a popup change room out of aluminum tube if I needed too. I am kind of surprised there is not a market selling aftermarket change rooms given the popularity of pontoons these days.

Up where I am, in Canada, a changeroom/toilet is mandatory equipment to have alcohol on the boat. If you have a potty, the boat is a "residence" and therefore anchored alcohol consumption is legal (just not in motion). Otherwise, alcohol is illegal on boats.

 

[MRS]

I thought taylormade made something like that. Not sure if they still do you can check with Tracker boats also they do make them for there pontoons. I have a 20ft. pontoon came with the pop up change room but I took it out and use the area where you would store it for a tote with the anchor, chain , and rope.

 

[DougsMessyGarage]

I thought taylormade made something like that. Not sure if they still do you can check with Tracker boats also they do make them for there pontoons. I have a 20ft. pontoon came with the pop up change room but I took it out and use the area where you would store it for a tote with the anchor, chain , and rope.

I checked the Taylormade site and they do not appear to offer an add-on change room. I am not beyond building one of my own. I have a TIG welder and need an excuse to get better at welding aluminum so a pop-up change room might make an interesting project.

Step one, however, is to get the boat home and get it functional. After I have it working again, I can look into what wild and wonderful mods I want too add.

 

[tblshur]

MRS what did you do with yours maybe you all can get together wife and grand daughter love ours

 

[MRS]

Mine is stored in the shed.

 

[MRS]

Never used it once or even setup.

 

[legalfee]

You could go with this:

 

[wkparker]

Well, after looking around for a rebuild project pontoon, I have pulled the trigger on a 1984 Sun Tracker 24 Party Barge. Considering the boat was in the 'Junkyard" I am pretty happy with its overall condition. I was originally planning on stripping it down to the bare tubes and cross members and rebuilding from there but I might get away without having to replace the decking. We will see.

I am comfortable with the mechanical, electrical, and carpentry aspects of the rebuild so this should be a fun and interesting project and a source of video content for my YouTube channel.

One thing I have not found in my drooling over online parts warehouse catalogs is an aftermarket changeroom. I have female family members who would greatly appreciate a potty and I plan on using the boat for a dive boat so was thinking a fold down changeroom would be a great addition. Problem is, so far, I have not found anyone who makes an aftermarket fold down change room. Is this not a thing for older boats or am I just not looking in the right places?

Thanks

Doug

I just bought a 2008 SunTracker 21' that has a pop-up changing room. We'll mostly use the boat for 1-2 hour rides around the lake, so it's likely that I'll remove it as I remodel, as I would rather have more open space. I'll take a closer look at how it's put together. MOD EDIT

 

[DougsMessyGarage]

I just bought a 2008 SunTracker 21' that has a pop-up changing room. We'll mostly use the boat for 1-2 hour rides around the lake, so it's likely that I'll remove it as I remodel, as I would rather have more open space. I'll take a closer look at how it's put together. MOD EDIT

Throw some pics in here if you think of it. Building a folding change room kind of sounds like an interesting project.

 

[DougsMessyGarage]

You could go with this:
View attachment 332230

That would be a suitable surround for a potty but I was also hoping to have enough room to change out of wet swim gear after a scuba dive. Even in warm weather it is a good idea to change in to warm woolies after any amount of time on the bottom. I will have to take a look at a boat show sometime as I am sure they will have these (if the world ever returns to normal, that is).

 

[legalfee]

I just bought a 2008 SunTracker 21' that has a pop-up changing room. We'll mostly use the boat for 1-2 hour rides around the lake, so it's likely that I'll remove it as I remodel, as I would rather have more open space. I'll take a closer look at how it's put together. MOD EDIT

We normally go to an island to swim and either go in the woods or in the lake.

 

[wkparker]

I stripped it down to the deck this weekend and took a few pics of the changing "room". The base is a separate three-sided box made of the same square tubing as the fence. The sunpad on top flips up with the assist of a gas strut, then the frame of the changing space pops us (also with a gas strut) once you pop a strap loose.

 

[DougsMessyGarage]

I stripped it down to the deck this weekend and took a few pics of the changing "room". The base is a separate three-sided box made of the same square tubing as the fence. The sunpad on top flips up with the assist of a gas strut, then the frame of the changing space pops us (also with a gas strut) once you pop a strap loose.


View attachment 332548View attachment 332549

Thanks for the description and pics. That is kind of how I figured they worked and kind of the design I have rolling around in my head.

 

[glust]

Mine is a 30' suntracker party hut with the top swim platform. It is a walled changing/potty room. I got a camping potty and built a base for it so that is it standard bathroom height. The walls which I rebuilt were constructed from 2 layers of 4x8 plastic paneling like you would see in a gas station bathroom and a 1" styrofoam inner space. Pretty rigid and works great. I realize you don't have the swim platform on top to anchor to, but maybe a permanent structure would work best.

 

[DougsMessyGarage]

Mine is a 30' suntracker party hut with the top swim platform. It is a walled changing/potty room. I got a camping potty and built a base for it so that is it standard bathroom height. The walls which I rebuilt were constructed from 2 layers of 4x8 plastic paneling like you would see in a gas station bathroom and a 1" styrofoam inner space. Pretty rigid and works great. I realize you don't have the swim platform on top to anchor to, but maybe a permanent structure would work best.

Very nice boat you have there. Part of me would love a Party Hut but they are not overly common up here and the ones that do come up for sale tend to be quite pricey.

While a change room built like the Party Hut would probably work, I am hoping to be able to fold down whatever I end up with because I plan on trailering my 'Toon to smaller lakes. A hard, full height bathroom would not be practical.

 

[Rabbit929]

I’d be interested in seeing what you can come up with as well.
as soon as we get our pontoon that’s first on the to-do list.
We usually went out (with our old toon) with all 3 of my daughters, age 1-6) wife and mother-in-law.
that many women makes for a painful expirience trying to fish when they want to stop by shore every 2 hours.